Easy Red Velvet-ish Cup Cakes


It is no secret that I love snacks. I really had a craving for a cupcake and I had no interest in spending a ton of points. So I have been doing some experimenting and I'm pretty happy with how this recipe came out. Basically I subbed out the oil and sugar in the normal recipe for unsweetened apple sauce and used 1% buttermilk instead of the full fat variety. I also did away with the food coloring and used dark chocolate cocoa powder since that is what I had on hand.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. Feel free to provide some ideas on how I can make this better.

Cupcakes - 2 SP per cup cake:
Yields 18 - 20 full size cup cakes
Prep time: 30 mins, cook time 30 mins

ingredients:
--- dry ingredients ---
2 1⁄2cup(s) white all-purpose flour - 32 Points
1 tsp baking soda - 0 Points
1 tsp Morton Salt, Iodized - 0 Points
4 tbsp Hershey's Cocoa, 100% Cacao, Special Dark - 1 Points

--- wet ingredients ---
2 egg(s) Great Value Grade A large white eggs - 4 Points
1 tsp white vinegar - 0 Points
1 tsp vanilla extract - 0 Points
2 cup(s) unsweetened applesauce - 0 Points
1 cup Meijer Buttermilk, Cultured Lowfat, 1% Milkfat - 5 Points


Instructions :

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. spray cupcake pan with non-stick spray
  3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
  4. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, applesauce, and vanilla.
  5. Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed (It will likely be a little on the thick side).
  6. Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cup cake pans. Place the pans in the oven. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean or about 30 minutes.

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Cream Cheese Frosting - 0 SP per serving
Yields 18-20 servings

ingredients:
8 oz fat free cream cheese (softened)
4 Tbsp skim milk
1 envelope Quest Vanilla Milkshake Protein Powder

instructions
  1. Mix the milk and softened cream cheese together until creamy
  2. whisk in the Quest protein until mixed
  3. let set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours then enjoy